The attached was done by someone else using AutoCad and it is only a partial morphed drawing, but it shows what I want to do in TC. I start with a 32' x 32' x 32' cube, with x number of panels per cube face. I think I will use 18 planes at 5'-4" x 10'-8" to make a 32' x 32' face, but that is subject to change if I see something better. I must warp/morph this cube into some other "thing". Many others are morphing cube >> apple (a la apple store), but I want to be different!! What? I do not know. Ideas appreciated. I do not want to make this so different and so difficult that it becomes a nightmare (more than it is already). The "support" layer is turned off, It is needed, but wanted you to see this without it for wireframe clarity.

Warping 2D panels into 3D panels .... how to? Thickness (I think you call it shelling?) is not necessary for me unless it is necessary to do this warp thing.

On this blog, www.dezignstuff.com/blog, there used to be a post called 'puffy cube challenge' that's pretty similar to this. I think his server was hacked and the original's gone, the remaining reference is http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=210. He's an SW guru and author, but I did this easily in TC, and the simplest way is to intersect six offset spheres. Progressively alter the offsets and diameters, and you can morph from cube to sphere parametrically, or select a particular intermediate state and either use ACIS settings, manual approximation, or some other mechanism to specify the polygon panels. I used ACIS settings, default draft for one, default quality for the other, exploded the copied parts to TC surface then switched to solid in the selection info palette.

(I assume you mean 3D mesh?) Yes, it would, but I forgot to mention the material will be glass so all panels will start and finish as glass. Could be a combination of triangles and other polygons, but each polygon must be a ruled surface.

On this blog, www.dezignstuff.com/blog, there used to be a post called 'puffy cube challenge' that's pretty similar to this. I think his server was hacked and the original's gone, the remaining reference is http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=210. He's an SW guru and author, but I did this easily in TC, and the simplest way is to intersect six offset spheres. Progressively alter the offsets and diameters, and you can morph from cube to sphere parametrically, or select a particular intermediate state and either use ACIS settings, manual approximation, or some other mechanism to specify the polygon panels. I used ACIS settings, default draft for one, default quality for the other, exploded the copied parts to TC surface then switched to solid in the selection info palette.

Please tell me if you do not have the time to help with this. I default here to this forum, but there are other resources I can dig into.

Other than recognizing the language you used is English, that is about all I get from that! :-) But seriously, since I do not see a cube in your drawing you posted, I do not see how you "morphed from cube to sphere parametrically." OR... it would not surprise me to find I am missing something else unknown to me. What I can observe: 1.) larger spheres that are intersected together. 2.) same spheres manipulated somehow for less amplitude and/or size. 3.) same spheres exploded or otherwise manipulated for panels. The Panels are exactly what I need, but I will need to show a progression from cube to "sphere-like" panel sections in steps - probably more than 3 steps. I would guess since I believe others in my class are doing it in around 8 steps (guessing).

FYI in explanation: There are a few requirements. This is/will be a mock building, all glass 5 sides (6th is flat floor), with double front doors. ((I know... this is Hansel and Gretal architecture, but I can't help the assignment. I just have to do the thing.)) I will show some sort of support structure (not engineered) for the glass panels and I can probably do that after the thing is morphed to its final shape of panels. The panels will all be ruled surfaces. All this means I would use only the upper (3/4?) of the unit because the floor is flat. In any event, it morphs from 32' x 32' x 32' cube to final state with (very roughly) equal volume. Panels have to be something one would expect to see for reasonable panel sizes - again, not engineered, but for example, 8' x 16' glass panels probably would not qualify. Of course the edges of what was once the cube would be made of triangles or other polygons, or they might disappear into the sphere assembly. If I understand the assignment, the field panels can be rectangular or modified rectangles where needed.

I will bet that I will NEVER use this information once I am working as an architect!! BUT, I must satisfy the course requirements silly as they are.

thanks for the help if you can. If you can't, thanks anyway for reading! :-)

I've been trying to figure out how to get what I'm doing across, Michael, but the only way that I can think of demonstrating it is with this screencast: http://screencast.com/t/xKmUGHQgx7 which is 28Mb and five minutes, sorry.... It's pretty simple: each iteration is composed of successively larger diameter spheres centred on the quadrants of successively larger concentric circles, and I've left a sphere at the centre of it so that you can see what you're moving away from. Each set of six spheres is intersected, and each completed intersection has edges progressively expanded towards those of a cube. You don't actually see a cube being built this way because it has planar faces, which are notionally sections from the surface of infinitely large spheres, but you do see the progression towards it. What I have omitted here is dealing with a cube progressing to a hemisphere, which can be done by scaling after each intersection in the z axis.I've also attached the file, which has further iterations compared to the screencast clip.

That was a great effort, Murray. I am just not able to follow it in one sitting. All brand new stuff for me. I have the option of juggling assignments, so I am going to switch this one to a later time. The next 7 days is just going to be a killer. I saved your screeen cast as a favorite. Does that mean I can come back to it later and it will still be there?

Or a cube back to a sphere! I do not think I will ever use this beyond school, but it is an interesting subject, and your JPG clearly illustrates what is going on in the morphing process.

Going back several posts, this is my 1st draft of my bridge project in Design 8. Pedestrian bridge. I am working madly right clearing up, adding details, subtracting things that do not work and other, more interesting (and better) renders. That fake shadow does not work and I will be changing that, adding more railing, etc. Critiques accepted and encouraged!

Or a cube back to a sphere! I do not think I will ever use this beyond school, but it is an interesting subject, and your JPG clearly illustrates what is going on in the morphing process.

Going back several posts, this is my 1st draft of my bridge project in Design 8. Pedestrian bridge. I am working madly right clearing up, adding details, subtracting things that do not work and other, more interesting (and better) renders. That fake shadow does not work and I will be changing that, adding more railing, etc. Critiques accepted and encouraged!

Love the expressive colours to show the progression, Henry. And I'm intrigued: how did you force triangular faces and keep the numbers/layout common to all?

I actually started with a sphere. Sliced-and-diced it. Used WP by 3 Points, clicking on vertices of the fragments, to establish the five unique facets -- two light blue color, one thistle, one lime green, and one wheat. A 2D Polyline on each WP outlines the facet and Solid From Profile converts it to a zero-thickness Solid. Mirroring and Radial Copying fills the object. Further distortion of each facet (to deform onto a cube) was accomplished by exploding it to a TC Surface and using the Edit tool.